Reinforced carbon-carbon

Reinforced carbon-carbon

Reinforced Carbon-Carbon (carbon-carbon or RCC) is a composite material consisting of carbon fiber reinforcement in a matrix of graphite, often with a silicon carbide coating to prevent oxidation. It was developed for the nose cones of intercontinental ballistic missiles, and is most widely known as the material for the nose cone and leading edges of the Space Shuttle. The Brabham team pioneered its use in the brakes of Formula One racing cars in 1976, and more recently it has also appeared in the brakes of some high end supercars, such as the Bugatti Veyron.

Carbon-carbon is well-suited to structural applications at high temperatures, or where thermal shock resistance and/or a low coefficient of thermal expansion is needed. While it is less brittle than many other ceramics, it lacks impact resistance; Space Shuttle "Columbia" was destroyed after one of its RCC panels was broken by the impact of a piece of foam insulation from the Space Shuttle External Tank. This catastrophic failure was due in part to original shuttle design requirements which did not consider the likelihood of such violent impacts.

Production

The material is made in three stages:

First, material is laid up in its intended final shape, with carbon filament and/or cloth surrounded by an organic binder such as plastic or pitch. Often, coke or some other fine carbon aggregate is added to the binder mixture.

Second, the lay-up is heated, so that pyrolysis transforms the binder to relatively pure carbon. The binder loses volume in the process, so that voids form; the addition of aggregate reduces this problem, but does not eliminate it.

Third, the voids are gradually filled by forcing a carbon-forming gas such as acetylene through the material at a high temperature, over the course of several days. This long heat treatment process also allows the carbon to form into larger graphite crystals, and is the major reason for the material's high cost, exceeding $100,000 per panel.

RCC is a generally hard material that can be made highly resistant to thermal expansion, temperature gradients, and thermal cycling, depending on how the fiber scaffold is laid up and the quality/density of the matrix filler.

Mechanical Properties

The strength of carbon-carbon with unidirectional reinforcement fibres is up to 700MPa. Carbon-carbon materials retain their properties above 2000 °C. [ [http://www.composites-by-design.com/carbon-carbon.htm Carbon Carbon Composites ] ]

References

ee also

* Atmospheric reentry


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Carbon fiber — or carbon fibre [See American and British English spelling differences.] (alternately called graphite fiber, graphite fibre or carbon graphite) is a material consisting of extremely thin fibers about 0.0002–0.0004 inches (0.005–0.010 mm) in… …   Wikipedia

  • Carbon fiber reinforced plastic — (CFRP or CRP), is a very strong, light and expensive composite material or fiber reinforced plastic. Similar to glass reinforced plastic, sometimes known by the genericised trademark fiberglass, the composite material is commonly referred to by… …   Wikipedia

  • Reinforced concrete — is concrete in which reinforcement bars ( rebars ), reinforcement grids, plates or fibers have been incorporated to strengthen the concrete in tension. It was invented by French gardener Joseph Monier in 1849 and patented in 1867.[1] The term… …   Wikipedia

  • Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic — ██████████ …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer — For fibers of carbon, see carbon (fiber). Tail of an RC helicopter, made of CFRP Carbon fiber reinforced polymer or carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP or CRP or often simply carbon fiber), is a very strong and light fiber reinforced polymer… …   Wikipedia

  • carbon fiber-reinforced plastic, US — angliaplastikis statusas T sritis chemija apibrėžtis Anglies pluoštu ar jo gaminiais sustiprintas plastikas. atitikmenys: angl. carbon fiber reinforced plastic, US; carbon fibre reinforced plastic, GB; carboplastic rus. карбопласт; карбопластик;… …   Chemijos terminų aiškinamasis žodynas

  • carbon fibre-reinforced plastic, GB — angliaplastikis statusas T sritis chemija apibrėžtis Anglies pluoštu ar jo gaminiais sustiprintas plastikas. atitikmenys: angl. carbon fiber reinforced plastic, US; carbon fibre reinforced plastic, GB; carboplastic rus. карбопласт; карбопластик;… …   Chemijos terminų aiškinamasis žodynas

  • Fibre-reinforced plastic — A fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) (also fibre reinforced polymer ) is a composite material comprising a polymer matrix reinforced with fibres. The fibers are usually fiberglass, carbon, or aramid, while the polymer is usually an epoxy, vinylester… …   Wikipedia

  • Glass-reinforced plastic — (GRP), is a composite material or fiber reinforced plastic made of a plastic reinforced by fine fibers made of glass. Like graphite reinforced plastic, the composite material is commonly referred to by the name of its reinforcing fibers… …   Wikipedia

  • Pyrolytic carbon — is a material similar to graphite, but with some covalent bonding between its graphene sheets as a result of imperfections in its production.Generally it is produced by heating a hydrocarbon nearly to its decomposition temperature, and permitting …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”